Chet Lemon, champion of the Star Center three times, who won a world series with the Detroit Tigers of 1984, died Thursday at his home in Florida. He was 70 years old.
“He was sleeping on his tilting sofa,” his wife, Gigi Lemon, told Detroit Free Press. “He was simply not reactive.”
Lemon had fought against a rare blood disease in the past three decades and has undergone a series of strokes, leaving it unable to walk or speak.
Lemon played seven seasons with the Chicago White Sox from 1975 to 1981 and new with the Tigers from 1982 to 1990. He struck. 273 with 215 circuits, 884 products produced, 973 points and 1,875 strokes in 1,988 games.
Lemon set an American league record still a swing for field players with 512 dishes during the 1977 season.
He led the American League with 44 doubles in 1979 and made the star teams in 1978, 1979 and 1984.
The lemon struck. 294 with a race, a point produced and two stolen bases against the Padres of San Diego while Detroit won the World Series 1984 in five games.
“The Detroit Tigers join all baseball to cry the death of Chet Lemon,” the team said in a statement. “While he was World Series and All-Star champion on the field, maybe his biggest impact came out.
“Our thoughts concern Chet’s family, friends and all those he has trained, supervised and inspired.”
Lemon returned to Motor City in September 2024 while the Tigers marked the 40th anniversary of this title. He was in a wheelchair but appreciated the emotional reunion with his teammates, said his wife.
“Chet was a teammate and a dear friend,” said former teammate and temple of renown Alan Trammell in a statement. “I am so grateful for the time that we spent together last summer when the 1984 team had its 40th meeting at Comica Park. Today is a sad day for us. We will miss a lot.”
The former teammate launched Parrish remembered Lemon for being a “fierce competitor”.
“Chet was the nicest of men and always had this big smile on his face,” said Parrish in a statement. “He was also a fierce competitor on the baseball field and a large teammate. I loved him like a brother.”
Lemon was born in Jackson, Mississippi, but the family moved to Los Angeles when he was a baby. The Oakland Athletics selected it with the 22nd choice in total during the 1972 draft of Fremont high school in Los Angeles.
Media information in the field was used in this report.
